A/N: Hi everyone. I'd just like to point out this is (obviously) AU, but several major plot points from HBP are still intact. I don't think that I will need to point them out, but I will if anyone is confused. this fic is one i'm writing for a current fic exchange challenge, and I have never ever, ever published online before, usually my friend and I just do this for our own pleasure, but I thought I would just this once :) also i'm not sure where this stpry is going in regards to ships but as you will see if you keep reading, there is set up for quite a few. If you want a particular one, review and let me know and i'll see if that direction is an option...

Disclaimer: J.K Rowling's Characters/ Worlds, just stepping in to play with her toys.

sorry for long note!

Chapter1: Breakfast

It had been another late night study session for most of the 6th years, there were yawning faces scattered across the great hall. Even Hermione, at the Gryffindor table, who was nothing if not used to late nights and pouring over old tomes, looked a little sleepy that morning.

"This is rubbish!" Ron grumbled sleepily, "This isn't even an exam year and I reckon we are studying harder than the O.W.L and the N.E.W.T students combined!"

"We have to catch up on what we missed last year, Ronald, and even if our exams aren't until next year, we are still preparing for N.E.W.Ts ourselves." Hermione primly responded, hardly needing her red-haired friend to say what the 6th years were all thinking.

"We did miss a lot, Ron, because of Umbridge and all." Harry nodded in Ron's direction as he buttered a piece of toast. "And it is a lot easier than meeting in secret like we did in the D.A"

"Yeah, but it's in every bloody subject! Not just bloody defence against the bloody dark arts!" Ron slumped, having used as much energy as he had that morning, to argue the point.

Neville, who had remained quiet up until this point as was his like, dumped a muffin on Ron's plate, and as the freckled boy happily began to munch on the offering, spoke up quietly.

"Maybe the professors are thinking ahead, my Gran reckons we should take every opportunity to learn while we still can."

"Thinking ahead?" Lavender interjected, "how is making sure we are all too tired to do anything, thinking ahead?"

Pavarti nodded in agreement.

"I for one would like to think ahead to something a little more fun, rather than all this school work, if all the previous years got by without the extra workload I can't see why we have to go all out." Dean said, glancing at Ginny who was a few seats away, listening.

"Maybe we won't be back at Hogwarts next year, if you-know-who has his way that is, and I don't know about all of you," Neville paused and looked around at his Gryffindor year mates seriously, "I'd much rather be prepared when the time comes to really fight and really isn't that the reason we all joined the D.A in the first place?" He nodded at Harry and continued; "So that we weren't caught out unprepared and unable to protect ourselves and those who can't protect themselves?" he glanced in the direction of the Gryffindor first years. "So now we are being given the opportunity to openly learn what we need to, in every subject, because really, it could be our last chance." Neville finished, and realising that most of the nearby students were looking at him in various states of shock and seriousness, flushed and stared down at his hands. "It's just what I think anyway."

Harry stared at Neville, open –mouthed. "I can't believe how we have been complaining and not thinking about it like you have, Neville. I've been so stupid, and you are right, as hard as all of this extra work may be, we are preparing for a war and I would much prefer to know what I'm doing instead of just bumbling along."

"Oh Harry! But you haven't just been 'bumbling along', last year you were great, you helped us all so much and truly I think Snape is surprised how much we 'suddenly' seem to know when it comes to defence against the dark arts" Hermione interjected, chagrined after listening to Neville say what she had not thought of herself. "Neville is right though, and maybe if we all help each other out, we will all get through this."

"Just our house? Or should we invite the other 6th Years too?" Seamus asked.

"Just us for now I reckon, otherwise there would be too many distractions and we wouldn't get anything done." Dean said, knowing exactly who Seamus was thinking of.

"Like a study group version of the D.A, except instead of Harry to help us out, it will be Hermione the professor of study!" Ron said enthusiastically, having finished the many muffins that had been donated by his table mates to keep him quiet.

Lavender giggled, like it was the funniest thing she had ever heard anyone say.

Hermione ignored her pointedly, "Now I know what you are thinking Ron, and I am certainly not going to be doing your work for you! So if you even ask me I will hex you! I have enough of my own work to keep up with!" her doe eyes softened as she looked at the indignant redhead, "but I will help anyone who is actually willing to put the effort in."

"At least we won't have any trouble when it comes to potions." Harry said.

Hermione glared at him. "I won't help anyone that wants to cheat."

"Cheat?" Lavender asked, her eyes still laughing.

"Never mind Lav, no Gryffindor would ever cheat anyway." Ron said patting her on the arm as Hermione rolled her eyes.

Seamus eyed Ron and Lavender thoughtfully, his mouth full.

"I guess that depends on your definition of cheating." Hermione said loftily, turning back to her own breakfast.

"So when are we going to start this then?" Neville asked, having recovered from his mortification at being the centre of attention.

"Tonight. Library. 8pm?" Harry suggested, looking at Hermione for confirmation.

"Don't you lot have that stupid meeting thing tonight?" Ron asked sullenly.

"I am more than happy to miss it, I'm sure we can think of some excuse to give Professor Slughorn, can't we Hermione?" Harry asked her, seeking forgiveness in her eyes.

"Alright then, 8pm in the library it is." Hermione said out loud. Leaning closer to Harry she added "If you leave that textbook behind that is."

"Can I come too?" Ginny, who had been following the conversation with interest, leaned down the table to ask.

"Oh Gin, I was kind of, sort of hoping that you could help cover for us at the Slug Club meeting." Harry said apologetically.

Ginny Harrumphed.

"If you could cover for us that would be fantastic," Hermione added, "and the next one we schedule, we can make sure it doesn't clash."

Ginny, only slightly mollified, agreed.

"I can't wait." Lavender winked at a grinning Ron.

"This will not be a make out session!" Hermione snapped, "If you aren't going to participate properly, bloody stay behind in the common room and eat each others faces off in there!"

There were many gasps of shock. Dean and Seamus guffawed at Hermione's outburst.

"Hermione!" Harry exclaimed, completely thrown by her language.

Ron merely looked mystified as Hermione pointedly began an unrelated conversation with a surprised Neville.

Harry shrugged at no one in particular, as he crammed another muffin in his mouth.

"Pans, would you mind moving just a little bit?" Draco, exasperated, turned to the Slytherin girl, who was practically in his lap, and severely impeding his intention to eat breakfast.

She gaped at him.

"I'd quite like my leg back, it is a bit numb, and really I'm much too tired to do anything" he paused as he mentally decided what to start with, "apart from eat."

Pansy blushed.

Crabbe and Goyle laughed.

Draco, having made a decision, proceeded to eat, ignoring everyone.

There was silence at the Slytherin table.

Luna Lovegood, over at the Ravenclaw table decided the heavy quiet from the Slytherins, was uncanny and eerie, and delightedly decided to watch, munching on an apple.
The reason for the quiet was simple. The first and second years, although generally rowdy, were silent because the upper year students were. The third and fourth Year Slytherins, most of whom had experienced the 'Wrath of Draco' were keeping to whispers and munching because Draco very obviously was not in the mood for conversation, his own or anyone else's. The fifth and seventh years, were silently revising for their approaching exams, snoozing on the table, thinking about the upcoming war and were generally disinclined to talk except in muted tones. The 6th year Slytherins, even more so than the Gryffindors, were exhausted from their unusually heavy workload.

Professor Snape had been holding extra classes with the sixth years in his house, in both Defence against the dark arts and his old subject, potions. The revision was extensive; Snape was preparing them for upcoming classwork in both subjects, giving them an advantage while he had the time to spare. Soon enough his sixth years would have to fend for themselves, while he focussed on the O.W.L and N.E.W.T students.

The 'Wrath of Draco' was a strange thing indeed. To the Slytherins who knew the signs of it brewing, it meant to keep out of his way and not to draw his attention. To the other houses, it manifested itself a lot more oddly, Draco was being nice.

The Slytherins knew however, that when everything with Malfoy was alright , he enjoyed flinging sarcastic and insulting remarks around, he chose them carefully, and he delivered each and every insult filled with loving scorn. And if one had a run in with Malfoy while he was content and in control it really meant very little. It was normal. It was the way of things. It was Slytherin. It was Malfoy.

But when he was tired or truly angry or agitated, he did not put so much care into spitting venomous words or smirking languidly. He was truer, he was nicer, and so whenever he was distracted like this, it meant a run in with him would be worse or it could be wonderful, Because everything was truer, his anger, his strength, his cunning even his compliments. It was this unpredictability that the Slytherins avoided, mean or nice, when he was being Draco and not just a Malfoy he could be bloody scary when it came right down to it.

Draco eyed Pansy who was sulking after he had admonished her, and decided that it would be worse for him if she stayed in that particular mood. He stopped eating and turned to look at her.

Pansy, somewhat embarrassed and hurt, and as tired as the rest of them, blushed as Draco's full regard fell on her. She turned slowly to him, expecting him to say something.

He only looked at her. And then, unexpectedly, like sunshine breaking through the clouds, he smiled at her. And gently reached out, briefly squeezing her hand.

Being Pansy, she held back a squeal and moved slightly closer to him again, her leg pressing up against his own. She held her breath.

Being Draco, he merely ignored her, and unencumbered this time, turned back to his breakfast.

Luna began to sing under her breath.

Agitated glances were thrown at her by her nearest tablemates.

She was distracted from her observation of the Slytherin table by a muffin hitting her in the head and bouncing off, landing on her plate.

"Oh! Thank you!" she called up to the rafters sweetly.

Blaise cleared his throat, looking at Draco.

Draco ignored him.

Crabbe and Goyle exchanged glances.

Draco ignored them.

Daphne and Millicent stared at him.

Draco ignored them.

Pansy pressed her leg against his briefly, not looking at him.

For her at least, he spared a glance, smirking.

As students began to get up and leave the great hall, he turned to her and ever so gently, kissed a surprised Pansy on the cheek, before walking away from the table himself, not looking back at any of them.

"Did you bloody see that?!" Ron looked disgusted "Bloody Malfoy just kissed Parkinson on the cheek, in front of everyone, while we are trying to eat!"

Hermione rose from the table.

"Firstly Ron, In case you haven't noticed breakfast is over, so no one is trying to eat."

Seamus pointed at the almost empty Ravenclaw table. "Hermione, she's still eating."

They all looked at Luna, sitting alone at her table, joyfully eating a muffin.

Ignoring Luna, Hermione continued angrily "Secondly, Malfoy and her have been together for quite a while now, and I for one am quite surprised that Malfoy would be such a gentleman with a chaste peck on the cheek as opposed to a slobbery face sucking mess that others are prone to."

Pavarti giggled madly at this, her eyes darting between Lavender and Ron.

"But Hermione, slobbery face sucking is so much more fun, even if it is messy!" Lavender said sweetly, by now fed up with Hermione's digs, "or don't you know?"

Hermione clenched her jaw and stalked away from the table without a backward glance.